A lovely day in the sticks

"Just Jeepin'" (macintux)
12/28/2018 at 17:10 • Filed to: None

Decided for my road trip I’d stay close to home, so last night and tonight I’m staying at the Canyon Inn at McCormick’s Creek State Park, about an hour west of Indianapolis.

Drescher Road got me off to a scenic start today.

If you don’t care about pretty roads, feel free to jump to the end where I have a couple of vehicle identification requests.

(All photos unedited because I just got back to the Inn and who’s really going to read this anyway?)

Unlike those of you out west, where public lands abound, those of us east of the Mississippi typically have two choices to go off-roading: private lands (either via an admission charge or just someone you know; I refuse to acknowledge that some assholes may go on private land without permission) or, in rare cases, state or national forests. (Here in Indiana we do actually have two state-owned recreation areas dedicated to off-roading, but that’s far from the norm.)

Vandalia Road checks almost all of my boxes: gravel/dirt, water crossings (albeit very small creeks), twisty, hilly.

However, frankly, I’m tired of true off-roading (although someday I hope to get out west and explore) so instead I do my best to find public roads that lead to places rarely seen.

I went exploring today and found a few new-to-me back roads. Just west of here are some of the most remote “how can this be a public road?” roads I’ve found in Indiana, and I discovered a real gem today.

The most “how can this be a public road?” road in the area is (appropriately) Mudd Road. Today I found a strong contender, however, in Boles Road.

Boles Road stretches the definition of “useful” a bit because there’s no particular reason to take it, but it does connect two roads and there are a surprising number of homes and two small dead end roads off it, so there are several residents who have to navigate this road on a regular basis.

Boles Road, which was even bumpier than this looks.

I noticed this sign after driving past whatever it’s indicating. I didn’t see anything unusual, so frankly I have no clue what this “castle” might be.

The most important criteria for such a road is that it must not be a dead end. Any dead end road in the middle of nowhere can be a disaster, but it takes a truly special public road to be both a mess and actually useful.

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I also found a small cemetery dating back to at least the mid-1800s. Some odd stones, including (I just can’t help editing everything I see) years apparently incorrectly transferred to newer headstones.

I’ve thought about creating a new group on Meetup.com for people interested in exploring Indiana’s back roads, and I may include cemetery tours. There are certainly enough old, tiny ones worth visiting, although more than a few don’t have enough parking for a group of cars.

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Eye candy for your time.

Incidentally, I’ve decided I desperately need an app that allows me to document road quality. I figure I can use OSM data, but I doubt there’s any app that does precisely what I want: rate and then use colors to appropriately display the ruggedness and a few arbitrary scenic qualities. I want something that will detect the road I’m on and automatically select the current segment: the stretch of road between the previous and next interchanges (but allow me to extend or shorten that distance). Ideally it would allow me to correct the OSM data; sometimes a road which OSM shows is no longer public, or is indicated as a dead end but isn’t.

If anyone knows of such an app, please let me know. I’m skeptical anything will quite do what I want, so I may have to dig into mobile development again.

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T wo identification requests.

First, this tail end caught my eye. Maybe a Chrysler Imperial? The lettering seems to say Imperial but I don’t see any matches !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! .

This will probably be much tougher. O ff in the woods I saw what looked like an old panel van with “Mail” on the side. Any ideas?

DISCUSSION (21)

Chariotoflove > Just Jeepin'
12/28/2018 at 17:52

First one: pretty sure that’s a Ford, dude.

Second: that’s a studio set from The Mailman. Check inside and see if there’s a skeleton.

Sorry all you get is smart ass from me. :). I’m in Indy now too and experiencing the same dreer you depict. My daughter always hopes for snow to go sledding when we come up here. Sometimes she gets lucky, sometimes not. December has always been iffy here for accumulation. Can’t relay on significant snow til after the new year.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > Just Jeepin'
12/28/2018 at 17:56

My favorite road trip is still the ride I took on the byway that was replaced by a proper highway just 10 miles east of it. I rode up into a national Forest, stayed the just got in a hunting lodge off-season, got to break in my bike on their own private trails and went to a ride sponsored by my dealership. This is all in West Michigan and yeah, it's not a mountain range, but fording rivers and riding through a dense Forest mere inches from the main road is something special.

Just Jeepin' > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles
12/28/2018 at 18:01

Michigan is very, very high on my wishlist. Just found out Drummond Island is hosting a winter Jeep Jamboree for the first time next month, so maybe next winter I can finally get some quality Michigan backroading.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > Just Jeepin'
12/28/2018 at 18:05

Michigan is an underrated off-road and fun-road destination. There is a low density of good roads, but every county has their "secret". I recommend spending some time in Hell. Get the ice cream! Real Hershey's ice cream on homemade cones!

Just Jeepin' > Chariotoflove
12/28/2018 at 18:37

I was expecting to discover it was a Ford, but why the Imperial? Dunno. Old cars are not my strength.

Sorry we couldn’t oblige your wish for snow. This time l ast year we had real winter and it was soooooo cold. I visited McCormick’s Creek for their annual New Year’s Day hike, and I think it was below zero. The hike didn’t last long, but I had about 5 layers on so I spent some time on the creek taking pics.

Kinja'd!!!

Just Jeepin' > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles
12/28/2018 at 18:38

I considered making the trek to the UP yesterday to play in the snow, but as I said when I asked here for suggestions, the low population density and my unfamiliarity with the roads made that a bit riskier than I’d like (that, and 8 hours each way is a bloody long drive for a 3-day trip).

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > Just Jeepin'
12/28/2018 at 18:42

If you get an ORV permit, head up into the Manistee Forest in the lower p eninsula. Lots of great trails and roads in there to blaze down. I tend to stay in the town of Baldwin. There's a couple decent greasy spoon restaurants and all the bars have a good beer selection.

Just Jeepin' > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles
12/28/2018 at 18:47

Between the two Jeep Jamborees, the Jeep Creep in Gladwin, the Silver Lake Sand Dunes annual Jeep event, the Saint Ignace event... there are no shortage of good excuses to get up there.

Last year the Jeep was broken most of the year, this year I was too gunshy about the Jeep being broken last year , maybe 2019 will do the trick, if I don’t lose my job next month.

Just Jeepin' > Chariotoflove
12/28/2018 at 19:12

Let me know if you check out Pleasant Run while you’re in town. It’s definitely not the most exciting street , so I’m curious whether my affection for it is irrational.

Cash Rewards > Just Jeepin'
12/28/2018 at 20:11

I went to rose-hulman in terre haute for my Master's, so you're not too far from where I lived for a couple years. To be honest, couldn't recommend a single thing to do there. Looks like you found a great spot!

Just Jeepin' > Cash Rewards
12/28/2018 at 20:15

This is a great area for anything outdoors. Did you ever visit Turkey Run State Park? Some spectacular hiking there.

Chariotoflove > Just Jeepin'
12/28/2018 at 20:51

Well I drove the K900, which is he opposite of a corner carver, but maybe I can take a little cruise.

Cash Rewards > Just Jeepin'
12/28/2018 at 20:56

I did not take advantage of the area as k should have. Went there after 4 years in New Orleans, after the original plan had been to stay in New Orleans. My girlfriend and I we re long distance. Wasn’t in the best mindset for two years. Looking back, I didn’t do a lot of things I should have. Never went to Indy 500, never went to the local dirt track, never road tripped to Chicago....

Chariotoflove > Just Jeepin'
12/28/2018 at 20:59

I was joking about the tractor. ;)

Yes, our visit last year was more wintry. I have no complaints though. It’s all about seeing family.

Just Jeepin' > Cash Rewards
12/28/2018 at 20:59

I lived in Boston for a year and missed most of what I should have done. Didn’t go to Maine, or NH, or Vermont. Or Cape Cod. Didn’t see half the touristy sites in Boston itself.

My only defense is that I didn’t think I’d be out there so briefly.

Just Jeepin' > Chariotoflove
12/28/2018 at 21:01

Remember, this is an urban backwater road. 30mph I think. No carving to be done.

Anyway, low priority, was mainly curious. You’d expressed more interest in it last time than I thought was actually warranted and I’m afraid I oversold it!

Just Jeepin' > Chariotoflove
12/28/2018 at 21:01

Ah, yes, whoosh right over my head.

smobgirl > Just Jeepin'
12/28/2018 at 21:07

Your “mess-but-actually-useful” criteria reminded me of Janes Scenic Route which is an 11 mile stretch of road in a state forest near Big Cypress that would take nearly 2 hours to drive back in the day. I worked on some archaeology projects out there over a decade ago, and that was the only connector from Tamiami Trail to the adjacent state forest.

Not that you’re likely to make it down there, but it was really a fascinating place. Just don’t get stuck there after dark.

Chariotoflove > Just Jeepin'
12/28/2018 at 21:29

No, it’s cool. I like exploring.

Just Jeepin' > smobgirl
12/28/2018 at 21:35

That’s cool! I was in that area a few years ago (pre-Jeep) and now I have a reason to go back, thanks.

smobgirl > Just Jeepin'
12/28/2018 at 22:07

There are some dirt roads out of the west side of the Picayune that lead back to Naples as well (and all of the paved but not maintained roads within it). Not sure whether any of them are still fully traversable anymore. It’s amazing how rough roads can get in an area that’s totally flat.